1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cellular phone set and a remote control method used therefor and, more particularly, to a remote control method for a videophone function used for surveillance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to a conventional videophone function of this type, some videophone apparatus includes the speech communication mode of allowing the user to perform speech communication and the surveillance mode of periodically sensing images by a camera and storing the sensed images in an image memory, thus allowing the videophone apparatus to have a surveillance function. This technique is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-224754.
According to the technique disclosed in this reference, when an incoming call is received from a distant apparatus in the above surveillance mode, an image is transmitted after the distant apparatus is checked by a password. For this image transmission, the following modes are prepared: the mode of transmitting images while performing image sensing operation, and the mode of transmitting images after reading out the images from an image memory. One of these modes is set in advance, and the modes are switched in accordance with a control signal received through a telephone line.
In a mobile communication system, a method of transmitting a still image sensed by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera or the like connected to a cellular phone set having an electronic mail function upon attaching the image to electronic mail has been put into practice.
Some of the above conventional videophone apparatuses are equipped with surveillance functions so as to be used as surveillance monitors. Since a camera itself or a device for transmitting images sensed by the camera are large in size, such a videophone apparatus cannot be downsized.
In addition, some cellular phone sets allow CCD cameras and the like for sensing still images to be connected. However, operators must perform manual operation to process and transmit images obtained from CCD cameras and the like. The transmission capability of the existing schemes are too low to make cellular phone sets have the videophone function of transferring a large volume of image data in real time.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a cellular phone set which can be used as a remote surveillance monitor or a simple monitor for remote medical treatment, and a remote control method used for the cellular phone set.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cellular phone set which can prevent improper control in performing various control operation on the connection destination, and a remote control method used for the cellular phone set.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the first main aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cellular phone set comprising a videophone function of performing real-time image transfer by using a communication scheme with high transmission capability, and means for transmitting control data for controlling various functions including the videophone function on a distant side in response to a specific external operation during speech communication.
Another cellular phone set according to the present invention comprises, in addition to the above arrangement, means for sending an authentication request to the distant side when the control data is transmitted from the distant side, and means for permitting/inhibiting control on the videophone function and each of the functions in accordance with an authentication result on data sent in response to the authentication request.
According to the present invention, there is provided a remote control method for a cellular phone set, comprising the step of, in response to a specific external operation during speech communication, transmitting control data for controlling various functions on a distant side, including a videophone function of performing real-time image transfer by using a communication scheme with high transmission capability.
Another remote control method for a cellular phone set according to the present invention comprises, in addition to the above step, the step of sending an authentication request to the distant side when the control data is transmitted from the distant side, and the step of permitting/inhibiting control on the videophone function and each of the functions in accordance with an authentication result on data sent in response to the authentication request.
According to a characteristic feature of the cellular phone set of the present invention, the videophone function (including the function realized through an external adaptor) of performing real-time image transfer by using a next-generation communication scheme with high transmission capability such as W-CDMA (Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access) is realized, and control on a camera on the distant side can be performed by performing specific operation during speech communication.
According to another characteristic feature of the cellular phone set of the present invention, in using the digital camera function, music replay function, and the like (including the function realized through an external adaptor), various control operations are performed on the connection destination in applications other than applications for the videophone function, e.g., applications for the image sensing operation of a digital camera and settings of sound quality and the like in the music replay function.
In performing various control operations on the connection destination, the cellular phone set according to the present invention can permit/inhibit control by an authentication request based on a password from the side subjected to the various control operations.
In performing various control operations on the connection destination, the cellular phone set according to the present invention allows the user on the side subjected to the various control operations to select permission/inhibition by notifying the user of the contents of the control operations.
In addition, in performing various control operations on the connection destination, the cellular phone set according to the present invention performs permission/inhibition determination on each control operation by using the telephone number notification function in accordance with a telephone number sent from the request side.
More specifically, in the cellular phone set according to the present invention, the videophone function of performing real-time image transfer by using a next-generation communication scheme with high transmission capability such as W-CDMA is realized, and the user on the side from which a camera control request is sent to the connection destination transmits control information on the camera to the connection destination upon specific key operation or the like. Assume that key operation, control information, and camera operation corresponding to the control information are associated with each other in advance by users on the respective sides.
On the control information receiving side, the operation of the camera is controlled in accordance with control information in received data. The operation of the camera includes setting of a direction, magnification, resolution, ON/OFF operation of images, and the like. For example, in these control operations, authentication and number notification function based on passwords are used, as needed, to permit control only when communication is performed with a specific telephone number.
On the controlled side, upon reception of a control request, permission/inhibition of control can be selected. In selecting permission/inhibition, various levels (various types of operations for permission of control) can be set, as needed. When authentication using a password or the like is required, control data is transmitted to the connection destination to, for example, display a message that prompts the user to input a password or the like. In addition, when permission/inhibition of control can be selected, control data informing the corresponding information is transmitted.
As obvious from the above aspects and the description thereof, according to the cellular phone set of the present invention, control data for controlling various functions on the distant side, including the videophone function of performing real-time image transfer by using a communication scheme with high transmission capability is transmitted in response to specific external operation during speech communication. This makes it possible to use the cellular phone set as a remote surveillance monitor and simple monitor for remote medical treatment as well as a phone having the videophone function for performing general communication.
In addition, according to the cellular phone set of the present invention, an authentication request is sent to the distant side upon reception of control data from the distant side, and permits/inhibits control on each function in accordance with the data authentication result sent in response to the authentication request, thereby preventing improper control in performing various control operations on the connection destination.
Furthermore, various control operations on the connection destination can be performed in applications other than applications for the videophone function, e.g., applications for the image sensing operation of a digital camera or the like and settings of sound quality and the like in the music replay function.
The above and many other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become manifest to those skilled in the art upon making reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments incorporating the principle of the invention are shown by way of illustrative examples.